What's Happening: Jan. 10, 2018

What’s Happening listings are published on a space-available basis in The Verde Independent and Camp Verde Bugle. They are also published in the What’s Happening section of verdenews.com and cvbugle.com. If you want guaranteed placement or guaranteed dates of publication in the print edition, please submit to mlovett@verdenews.com for a classified listing or jschield@verdenews.com for display advertising.

Clarkdale to host Contra Dance Jan. 20

Get moving and have some fun at Contra Dance in Clarkdale, Saturday, January 20th. Contra dance is an energetic dance form with some similarities to square dance -- see examples on Youtube.

Michael Barraclough will call every dance to the live tunes of Just Desserts. Wear comfortable clothes and bring a snack to share if possible.

Newcomers should be sure to come for the lesson at 6:30 p.m. and then dance 7-10 p.m. The venue is the Clarkdale Clubhouse (auditorium), 19 N. 9th St. If you can walk, you can contra! No partner or experience is necessary.

Donation is $10 per dancer and $7 for students. This dance is sponsored by the Clarkdale Historical Society and the Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music. Contact Sandy Boothe for more information: 928-634-0486 or sandy@ringsforever.com.

It’s fruit tree pruning season and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County is offering two free deciduous fruit tree pruning demonstrations conducted by Extension Agent, Jeff Schalau. Come and learn why, when, and how to prune your backyard fruit trees. Demonstrations will cover apples, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines, cherries, and more. Fertilization, irrigation and fruit thinning will also be discussed.

Two pruning demonstrations are scheduled. The first will be held on Saturday February 10, 2018 at 10 AM at the Marmaduke Orchard, 3435 S Silver Rd, Camp Verde. The second will be held on Saturday February 24, 2018 at 10 AM at the McLandress Orchard, 850 S. Maricopa St, Chino Valley. It is not necessary to register – just come and learn!

Maps and directions to these workshops are available on the Yavapai County Cooperative Extension web site: cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/pruning/. Signs will be posted prior to the workshops to help participants find the locations. Follow Extension Agent, Jeff Schalau on Twitter (@jeffschalau) for timely information such as cancellations due to inclement weather.

The Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Chronic Pain Support Group January 2018 Meeting will be held on Saturday, January 13, 2018 in Conference Room A at the Verde Valley Medical Center located at 269 S. Candy Lane, Cottonwood, AZ from 10 am-Noon.

This month’s presentation will be led by Genevieve Jenkins, a student of PT interning at the Verde Valley Medical Center, the topic will be Fibromyalgia & Memory - Tips for keeping your memory sharp with Fibromyalgia

Group members, Friends, Family and the public are welcome to attend our meeting. For further information or questions, please contact Barbara Baty at 928 649-0248.

The Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Chronic Pain Support Group is supported by NAU and Entire Care

Friends of the Verde River Celebrates 10-year anniversary Open House

Friends of the Verde River (Friends) celebrates ten years as a leader in river conservation work in the Verde Valley with an open house on Thursday, January 25th, 12pm noon to 7pm. The public is invited to visit the new office at 115 S. Main Street, #A, Cottonwood, AZ, 86326. The open house will kick off with a ribbon cutting ceremony provided by the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce at 12pm noon. Visitors can stop in throughout the day to meet the new staff and learn about volunteer opportunities and the Friends’ programs. An evening reception from 5:30 – 7pm will cap off the event with presentations by board members and program managers.

Friends collaborates with partners to provide solutions to critical water issues in the Valley and throughout the state. Over the past year, Friends has merged with two other local conservation organizations, bringing multiple programs and projects under the leadership of Friends. Along with this growth, Friends has moved to a new office, hired new staff and developed a cohesive website presence that incorporates content from multiple partnerships, establishing Friends as the “go to” source for Verde River conservation efforts.

The key programs of the Friends are Sustaining Flow, Restoring Habitat, and Promoting Community Stewardship.

What: 10-year anniversary open house

When: Thursday, January 25th, noon to 7 pm

Where: Friends of the Verde River Office: 115 S. Main St., Cottonwood

Library and Adult Learn Center computer classes

Camp Verde Community Library is partnering with the Camp Verde Adult Reading Program and Learn Center (CVARP) to offer two levels of free computer classes. Level 1, or the Basic Computer Class, is for anyone with little to no computer experience. Level 2 classes are designed for computer users who want to learn new techniques, explore new software or upgrade their work skills.

The Basic Computer Class, taught by Library Specialist, Gerry Laurito, starts Wednesday January 17 and runs for three weeks at 2:00p in the CVARP Learn Center. Gerry covers topics from how to use the mouse and what you see on the screen to how to navigate the World Wide Web and setup an email account. With a limited number of computers, classes will be small to allow for personalized attention. If this sounds like the class for you, please call Gerry to sign-up at 928-554-8380.

Level 2 computer classes could range from learning how to write a letter, make a flyer or create a résumé to how to setup a budget, use social media, or create a Power Point slideshow to name a few. These classes may be custom designed to meet the needs of people interested in learning new skills for fun or work. We plan to run Level 2 classes in series of three on Fridays beginning January 26 at 9:30a. The first class is scheduled for January 26, February 2 and February 9. The topic of the first class will depend on the responses we get from those interested in learning new computer skills.

There are two ways that you can help us offer the Level 2 computer classes that you want. Go to the website, www.cvlibrary.org, click on the Computer Classes – Short Survey and answer ten general questions about the types of computer skills you would like to learn. Or, for a more detailed and specific options, stop by the library. Visit the PC Help Desk, fill out the paper survey and drop it in the survey collection box. Your response will make a difference as we decide where to focus our resources.

Camp Verde Community Library is located at 130 Black Bridge Road, Camp Verde AZ. For more information about computer classes coming to the CVARP Learn Center at the Library, stop by the PC Help Desk or call 928-554-8380.

Both Branch and Merrell possess Master of Science degrees and certificates of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language and Hearing Association. Branch specializes in neurological disorders, dysphagia, and traumatic brain injury. Merrell specializes in adult stroke rehabilitation and treats adult swallowing and voice disorders.

With Parkinson disease, the voice may get softer, breathy, or hoarse, making it difficult for others to hear what is said. Speech may be slurred. Swallowing difficulties can occur at every stage of Parkinson disease and cause choking, aspiration of food and saliva into the lungs, and pneumonia. Special therapies can effectively address these symptoms and dramatic improvement in speech volume and clarity can be achieved.

The Verde River Rockhounds will be hosting Pat McMahon as their featured speaker at their monthly meeting on Thursday, January 11, 2018 at the American Legion on Calvary Way in Cottonwood at 6:30 p.m.

Pat has been collecting agates since retiring 30 years ago. Today his collection has more than 8,000 polished agate specimens from over 550 locations. Most of these he has found in the field himself. He has collected in all 11 Western states in the U.S, Canada, and Alaska. He has spent considerable time digging on the Laguna and Coyamito Ranches in Chihuahua, Mexico and has dug “Condor Agate” at over a dozen localities in Argentina. His long years of intensive collecting have resulted in the best and most comprehensive collection of sagenite and plume agate in the world.

Recently, he completed the book “Agates, The Pat McMahan Collection”. What many agate collectors are saying is the most comprehensive and beautiful agate book ever produced. His book of 500 pages includes 1,250 beautiful color photos of agates from 300 deposits worldwide. The book relays personal collecting stories, prospecting techniques, and history telling about the early discoveries of well known deposits. Pat will have his book available for sale at the meeting.

He has displayed agates in rock shows in Europe and across the U.S. He has published articles in Rock and Gem Magazine and the German magazine Mineralien Welt and is the author of a chapter on agates with inclusions in the authoritative book “Agates II”.

In addition, the American Legion has dinner available beginning at 5 p.m.

Fair association offers waste for gardening

The Verde Valley Fair Association has some barn animal waste that can be used for gardens, included is horse, cow, lamb, goat, hog, rabbit and chicken (all mixed into one pile) – free if you haul. Please call the fairgrounds at 928-634-3290 to set up a time to pick up.

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